Katara shifted in her blankets to look at the sky above. It was full of stars and the moon was mostly full.
She turned to look around the camp as she sate up. Aang was curled up near Appa, snoring softly. Momo was hanging from one of Appa's horns, wings curled around it's body, protecting it from the biting wind that rippled through the leaves on the tall leaves.
They had chosen to camp here because the spot was clear and hidden from view by the tall trees that made a loose canopy overhead.
Next to her makeshift bed, Sokka lay tangled in his blankets, drool falling out of his open mouth.
The small fire they had made was nothing more than a pile of ash and a few dying embers now.
She lay down and closed her eyes to try to go to sleep, but everytime her eyes closed, she saw her mother being taken away from the village. She heard her mother's pleas and cries and felt helpless, just letting her mom be taken away. She should've done something, stopped the soldier somehow. But she didn't. And now her mom was dead.
She looked at Aang again and nodded inwardly. She could fix this. She could make up for not saving her mother by saving the world. She would make it right. She would correct her mistake.
She silently got up and tip-toed to the edge of the clearing, thankful that Appa's snores had made them all pretty heavy sleepers. She would go and walk down to the stream nearby to take her mind off everything. She'd be back before the sun rose.
She was bending the water from the stream into the sillohuetes of her family together, happy. Her mother smiling at her and her dad steadying Sokka with a hand on his shoulder.
Then suddenly a black bag was pulled over head and strong hands stopped her from moving and screaming. The hands were hot against her cool skin and they dragged her away from the soft glow of the river in the moonlight.
She was so terrified and panicked, she couldn't even think straight. She barely registered the sound of the water splashing back into the river, and the words that came from a hard, male voice, telling her to be quiet and don't move. She didn't even think about using bending to get away, she was so out of it.
Once she relaxed enough to understand what had happened, she tried to get a handle on the situation. Her hands were chained behing her and her feet were chained to the ground, which was solid and cold. Once she maneuvered the back off her head, she looked around the room she was chained in.
Not much of a room, she thought. More of a prison cell. Then she realized, that's exactly where she was. She was a prisoner. And she was too tired to try to escape at that moment. She was surrounded from thick stone walls, except for the door with the barred window. There was a fire flickering in a sconce across from the cell, outside the door.
Just as she was suppposed to fall into the darkness of unconsiousness, the stone wall digging into her back, she heard the muted thumps of booted feet against stone. She jerked to her feet and pushed herself as close to the door as she could go, which wasn't very far. As the door opened, the cell was flooded with light from three more torches held by guards.
Once her eyes adjusted to the brightness, she registered the familiarly scarred face of the exiled Prince. Then, she backed against the corner of the cell, trying to get away from the firebender that often aimed at her.
"Well, well, well. Look who's finally chained up," Zuko taunted. "Nice of you join is for the big show." He chuckled.
Once he gave the soldiers the signal, they moved forward and took hold of her arms once more. One unlocked the chain connecting her to the floor and they dragged her from her cell, struggling and screaming.
They forced her up the hallway and a set of stone stairs to a large patio that opened to a large forest. The sun was just rising over the treeline. The fall would be long and painful, so she couldn't get out that way.
"Look at that, he did come. My exile is finally coming to an end," Zuko announced, looking at a small distance that soared above the tips of the trees. As it came closer, and got bigger, you could see the definite form of Aang on his glider coming towards them.
As soon as Zuko thought he had come close enough, the Prince moved behind Katara and pressed a thin, cold blade to her neck. She instantly stilled, staring at Aang's shape hopefully.
Once he landed, Aang immediately gave his glider to a startled guard nearby and turned towards Zuko. At the threatening movement, Prince Zuko dug the dagger closer to Katara's skin, a few droplets of blood dripping down her neck. Katara let out a pained whimper.
Instead of reassuring her, Aang closed his eyes against the scene and inhaled sharply at the feel of Katara's despair. Looking at the glint of triumph in Zuko's eyes, he collapsed to his knees about 8 feet away from his friend. As he shifted his gaze to the floor, a short note fell out of his hand.
Avatar -
Your life or hers.
She's dead by sundown, unless you come, alone, and surrender.
- Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation
"Please don't hurt her. I give myself in her place, just don't-don't hurt her. Please. I-I'm begging you. Please, t-take me instead," Aang pleaded, tears streaming down his face.
"Begging so soon, Avatar? You're even more weak and pathetic than I thought. I figured it would take more of her blood to make you surrender. Should we experiment with what you are willing to do to keep her safe? I think we should start with her arms." Zuko grinned.
"N-no! Please! Y-you don't need to do anything to her. I will do whatever you want, anything. Just don't hurt her. Just, please, not her. Kill me! Not her! Anything you want, it's yours. Just, please, not her." Aang was in full panic mode now.
"Oh, quit your snivelling. It's disgusting. I just need to clarify a few things here. Did you come alone, or did you bring your non-bender and pet cow?" Zuko didn't want to kill anyone just yet, but if the Avatar wouldn't cooperate, then he had no choice.
"No, I am alone. They were still asleep when I left," he quietly replied. "No one is with me," Aang said miserably, never feeling more alone in his life.
"Good, good. Following directions for once in your life. Nice time to start being good. Now, what are you willing to do? What are you willing to sacrifice for this lovely young water-bender?" Zuko inquired of the young savior.
"Anything you want. Everything you ask for. I will do anything you wish, even the slave punishment," Aang whispered, even further lowering his voice to say the last part.
The slave punishment was a ritual used for enslaving prisoners of war. It was used when the prisoner played a big part in the war for the opposing side and wouldn't be useful for anything else. So, instead of having them sit in cells, with the possibility of escape, they were forced to be the slave of the leader of the winning side, as a sign of triumph and power for that side. It also made the slave lower than non-benders were. They had no rights whatsoever. They still had their minds free, but their bodies were forced to do their masters' bidding, whatever it was. They constantly had to remember why they were doing this, why they didn't want to do it, and know that they couldn't do anything to stop it.
At the mention of the ancient sentence, Zuko raised an eyebrow. "You do know that that practice hasn't been used in almost a century, don't you?" he questioned.
In reply, Aang shook his head minutely. "I've been stuck in an iceberg for 100 years, so no, I didn't know. But I am still willing to do it, for Katara. Please, just don't hurt her. I'll do anything, just let her go, please. I will do it willingly, or I will fight if you want. Anything. You don't even have to put the spell on me, unless you would like to. It's your decision. Do you want me to fight you? Do you want me to obey your every command? Do you want me to sit still while you burn me? Do you want me to let you chain me up and take me to your father? I'll do it. If only to save her. I will do anything you want. I will scream if you want. I will fight against you. I will cry out. I will do anything. Just, please, don't hurt her. You can do anything you want to me. But, for goodness sake, don't hurt her."
"Why would I let her go? If I let her go, then you'll just escape like last time, and the time before. No, I can't let her go. I need her here to keep you here," Zuko reasoned. As he took the dagger away from Katara's neck, you could see the bright red starting to dry and darken to a deep burgundy. At his command, the soldiers dragged her to the wall of the room, leaving the Prince and the Avatar in the center.
"No, please. I-I won't escape, even if someone comes to rescue me. I swear to my ancestors, I won't escape. I won't use my bending against you ever again. Please, tell me what you want me to do and I will do it. Let me prove to you that I will do what you command. Please," Aang begged Zuko. He could handle being used by Zuko, but he didn't think he could take Katara being kept prisoner as well. He couldn't fathom the thought of beautiful Katara being miserable and sick.
"Fine, don't let her go. But give her water, at least. Treat her well. She isn't the prisoner here, she was the bait to get me here. I'm here now, so she doesn't have to be harmed anymore. If I go against you, then you can punish her. But, please, let me take her place. She is unnecessary to your plans."
"Very well. Guards, take the water-bender to the cellar and give her the prisoner meal. If she fights, do what is needed to subdue her," Zuko reasoned.
After the guards left the room and Katara cast a last longing look at Aang, the door slammed shut. Zuko walked towards Aang and kicked him in the stomach. Aang's breath came out in a force of air that blew Zuko's robes back. The young boy collapsed in a fetal position and wrapped his arms protectively around his head.
"It is time for you to learn your place, Avatar. Take off your clothes and kneel before your master, you filthy piece of trash!" Zuko shouted, taking delight in the position of power he was now in.
Aang immediately stripped out of his clothes and cast them in a messy pile near the flaming hearth. Once he was completely naked, he crawled over to Zuko, his cock swinging between his legs. He stopped about 5 feet from his new master and rolled back on his knees, with a straight back. His hands were clasped behind his back, his knees forced into the hard stone floor. As he settled into his new position, Zuko came forward and lifted Aang's head up to meet his own. His head came up easily, willingly. His mouth was hanging slightly agape, his breathing shallow. Aang's dark grey eyes were brimmed with unshed tears and filled with shame and defeat. Even with his head in Zuko's firm grasp, his face did not belie any emotion, other than emotional hurt. "Yes, I am going to enjoy this very much," Zuko smirked. He dropped his hand from the Avatar's face and brought the back of his hand across his face with a resounding slap. Aang was thrown to the floor and didn't move from there.
"What are you now, Avatar?" he sneered at the lump in from of him.
"I am nothing, Master," Aang said, his voice empty of emotion, barely above a whisper.
"That's right, you piece of crap. And what are you used for, Freak?"
"I am used for your pleasure, Master."
"Exactly. I am going to use you for whatever I want. I could beat you 'till you beg for death. I could play your mind. I could let the guards have a go. I could leave you for dead in a forest. I could use you as my personal servant. Or, I could use your body until you are starving for my cock up your ass. Tell me this, boy, did your monks teach you about being a slave and what it entails?"
"We did not learn the specific details, but I know that I am to be your complete and utter slave to be used for whatever you wish. I am lower than everyone and everything. You are my only Master."
"You will learn just how low you are. You are nothing. You are my toy. You are my slave. You are my pet. You are my whore. You. Are. Mine," Zuko ground out.